CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State softball team scored 18 runs in a doubleheader split with visiting Missouri Southern State Wednesday afternoon at the Diamond Sports Complex falling 13-10 in game one before claiming game two, 8-6.
Katelyn Gamble led the offense reaching base seven times on 5-of-7 hitting with three walks on the day, while
Morgen Blanchard and
Arika Araujo hit home runs for the Hillcats.
GAME ONEThe opener turned out to be a wild affair with the Lions pulling off the 13-10 win as RSU had a chance for the comeback, but stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh.
RSU got its offense going in the bottom of the first as Gamble led the frame with a double over the head of the left fielder. An
Ashleigh Stidman walk put two runners on and both advanced into scoring position on a groundout.
Katlin Alexander plated the pair on a sharp single under the out-stretched glove of the third baseman for a quick 2-0 lead.
Starting pitcher
Jessica Christian ran into trouble in the second as the first six batters reached base leading to a 10-run inning. Sarah Williams capped the scoring with a three-run home run into left center as MSSU jumped in front, 10-2.
The Cats threatened in the second loading the bases on walks to
Taylor Santistevan and Araujo before a Gamble single. Stidman delivered an RBI groundout.
Rachel Jones brought another run home on a bases-loaded walk cutting into the deficit, 10-4.
RSU got back into the game posting five runs in the bottom of the third.
Jamie Kowalick and
Malori Moss opened the frame with singles and Blanchard provided the fireworks launching her first home run as a Hillcat into left center to make it a one-run game, trailing 10-9.
The Lions added one run in the fifth and two in the sixth moving the lead to 13-9 into the last half inning. Kowalick led the seventh with a single followed by a walk to Moss and a single from Santistevan to fill the bases with no outs. After putting one run on the board, RSU had the winning run at the plate, but could get no closer, falling 13-10.
GAME TWOThe Hillcats used five runs in the third inning to secure the split winning game two, 8-6, getting a two-run home run from Araujo.
MSSU posted two runs in the first aided by a lead-off walk, but starter Jones settled into the game and allowed her offense to take control. The senior gave up just two base runners over the next three innings, including striking out the side in the third.
The Hillcats came to their pitcher's aid breaking into the lead in the third sending 11 batters to the plate. Santistevan and Araujo walked to open the frame and back-to-back RBI singles from Jones and Alexander highlighted the inning giving RSU a 5-2 edge.
The margin stretched to four, 6-2, in the bottom of the fourth led by Gamble's infield single. The freshman stole second and moved to third on a groundout before crossing home plate on a pinch-hit single by
Stephanie Schivally for her fourth run of the afternoon.
The Lions got one run back in the fifth and RSU countered in the fifth scoring twice off one swing from Araujo, who sent 3-1 pitch over the fence for her first home run in the navy and red. MSSU hit a two-run home run of its own in the sixth and added a final run in the seventh, but the Hillcats held on for the split, 8-6.
Jones earned the win in the circle throwing five innings allowing four hits and Christian picked up her first-career save pitching the final six outs surrendering an unearned run on two hits.
The Hillcats (3-6 overall) are back in action Feb. 20-21 at the 4th Annual Northeastern State Softball Festival in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. RSU opens the four-game weekend at 9 a.m. Saturday against Midwestern State.
